Just when you think it’s over, your parents sit you down. Just when you think it’s over, they tell you rather unenthusiastically that you’re moving. Again. It’s one of those epiphany moments, just when you think it’s over, it never truly is.
Now, moving is inevitable for anyone, but it just didn’t occur to me that it could happen again so soon. Just when I got comfortable, the comfort was ripped out from underneath me. Like a cruel joke, I was once again back in the cycle of moving.
But, moving can get worse. After you stop moving, you accumulate things; you don’t have to be cautious of how much stuff you have. It doesn't matter if you room becomes filled to the brim... until it does. Until you are stuck, going through every article of clothing, every random knickknack, so many books, such and such, finding things you didn’t even know you had still and even worse going through it all. I can’t tell you how much you will donate to different charity shops. Personally, I lost count of the trips.
Finally, you get over the mounds of boxes, and furniture, and you say goodbye to the shell of the house you, unfortunately, just got used to. It’s like being super happy with something, and then being told to completely redo it. It’s so frustrating, especially when you feel so alone doing it. It feels terrible. Yet, moving is always bittersweet; while the goodbyes suck, you never know what’s behind that next mountain.
Maybe the next mountain is covering your dream home, dream school, dream life. But you don’t always go to a place where people get you. You don’t always go to a school where your classmates understand why you’ve lived in billions of places, because they’ve never left their hometown. It’s rough and isolating.
But, nothing is permanent, moving, new houses, and tough situations.
On the bright side, I can tell you moving without the military is not impossible. As of September 2nd, it’s been one year since I moved away from my “permanent home.” It didn’t feel like a normal move; I didn’t automatically snap back into the swing of things. This move was a lot more trying. It almost felt nostalgic, and annoying, but in a way. I feel like I’m back to PCS-ing. It's bittersweet and, honestly, strangely terrifying.
Just when you think it’s over, it never really is. In a way, that’s life. Sometimes you have to pick up and
move on. When you realize the roughness of it all isn’t permanent, you’re able to swallow the pill. And you know you can face it again.